Carbon Monoxide Leak Sends 42 to Hospital
The Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point suffered a carbon monoxide leak on Sunday, sickening 42 students who were taken to various hospitals in the area. Eight of the 42 student were brought to North Shore University Hospital around 11pm where they were treated and released about four hours later. They have since returned to school. Three students refused to seek treatment. The Merchant Marine Academy trains officers for the nation’s merchant marine fleet. It has about 1,000 students, called midshipmen. About 200 are at sea at any time for training. Carbon monoxide is an odorless, colorless gas that was reportedly leaking from a water heater in the Academy’s Barry Hall.
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Home Invasion in Hempstead
A brutal home invasion robber took place Sunday night in Hempstead. The masked gunmen were reportedly looking for a specific person and for drugs. A 22-year-old-man was visiting his 47-year-old mother who lived in second floor apartment of a dilapidated home on Grove Street. The 22-year-old opened the door after the three burglars knocked on the door, brandishing guns and knives. After making their way into the apartment, two of the men grabbed the woman, brought her into the bathroom where she was allegedly sexually assaulted while the other stole cash and cell phones. The 22-year-old was then brought downstairs to another apartment occupied by two 50-year-old women who were instructed to lie down on the floor. As they were being tied up one woman began to have a seizure. They also had cash and cell phones taken. Upstairs, the 47-year-old woman managed to escape out of window and alerted neighbors and called authorities. Before police could respond the suspects fled in a black vehicle parked outside. All three suspects are described as being African-American. Anyone with information regarding this crime is asked to call Nassau County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-244-TIPS. All calls are kept anonymous.
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Gang Member Pleads Guilty to 2010 Holbrook Murder
Luis Cherry, 22, from Queens, pleaded guilty on Friday to second degree murder and criminal possession of a weapon, admitting to his role in killing Holbrook resident, John Williams, in front of his home in October 2010. Prosecutors say Cherry and Reginald Ross, 34, of Yaphank, are responsible in the death of Williams. Ross has also been arrested in killing a construction flagman, Raymond Hirt, in Lake Ronkonkoma less than a mile away from where Williams was killed. The catalyst behind Hirt’s murder was a verbal dispute the two had about heavy traffic at the construction site Hirt worked at, according to Suffolk County District Attorney Thomas Spota. Prosecutors say that Ross and Cherry killed Williams as a part of a larger murder scheme where they hope to lure a drug dealer to the funeral where another murder was planned. Assistant District Attorney Robert Biancavilla said they killed the wrong man and that Williams was the brother of their intended target.
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Two Men Sentenced in Huntington Station Shooting
Two men have been sentenced to prison for their role in the shooting death of a 38-year-old man in Huntington Station. Prosecutors say that Geremias Caceres was shot while walking with his teenage son near their 10th Avenue home on January 24, 2010. Gni Brown and Lavell Leftenant were each sentenced on Friday at Suffolk County court. Brown faces 15 years to life in prison while Leftenant got 3 to 9 years. The pair had previously pleaded guilty and testified again the gunman, Ralph Guerrier. Guerrier was found guilty last year on counts of second-degree murder and robbery. He was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison in November.